Mixing machine



(1. w. GIBBS MIXING MACHINE Feb; 13,

Filed July 18, 1938 s She eiZS-Sheet 1 k j] INVENTOR.

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(WK 7/; 1/1 673195. BY

Feb. 13, 1940. c. w. GIBBS MIXING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1938 INVENTOR. ('l/Af/l ll 6/556.

ATT RNEY5.

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 2,190,421 MIXING MACHINE Curtis W. Gibbs, Fort Worth, Tex., assigncr, by direct and mesne assignments, to Bottlers Equipment Company,

corporation Fort Worth, Tex., a

Application July 18, 1938, Serial No. 219,758

8 Claims. This invention relates to a mixing machine for bottled goods and the like.

In the soft drink industry, the ingredients of a drink are normally charged separately into the individual bottles. In order that" the drink may 1 reach the customer in a uniformly homogeneous condition, it isnecessary that the bottles be thoroughly agitated to mix the ingredients after charging. The mixing at the present time is usually accomplished by machines which agitate the bottles individually-before they are placed in the cases ordinarily used "for delivery.

number of individual bottle grasping units which are provided. A machine 'of this type adapted to mix the output of a modern charging machine must have a 1 large number of such units and therefore must be a relatively large and expensive 7 piece of apparatus.

- One object of the present invention is to pro-' vide a-mixing machine in which an entire case of the thoroughness of mixing.

bottles may be mixed simultaneously after they have been placed in the case. The capacity of the machine is therefore substantially the same as that of a machine having a number of mixing units equal to the number of bottles in a case, usuallytwenty-four. Such a machine provides more than enough capacity for mixing the output of the usual charging machine and yet; requires only a single mixing unit large enough to hold a case of bottles. Clompared to the present mixing machines, it is relatively simple and inexpensive. f

Another object. of the invention is to improve I This is accomplished by rotating the entire case and contents preferably through at least four revolutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and practical controlmeans for operating the machine. 1

Other objects and and the full nature thereof will be apparent from the following description and claims and the attached drawings in which a preferred form thereof is shown by way of illustration.

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of one side of a mixing machine embodying. theinvention. Fig. 2. is a similar viewof the opposite side thereof with the: parts in a different position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational' view similar to Fig. 2 with: the parts in a different position. Figgi is a similar view to Fig.3 with the parts in still another position. Figs. 2, 3 and teach have parts cut away to shcwyother parts indetail. Fig.15 is a plan view of .a portion of the machine The, capacity of such'machines depends upon the features of the invention with parts cut away. Fig. 6 is a sectional view substantially on the line -6 of Fig. 5. Fig. '7

is an end elevational view partly in section of a portion of the machine. Fig. 8 is a plan View of a clutch operating lever. View in elevation of certain mechanism used for timing the operation of the machine.

In the preferred-form of the invention 'illus Fig. 9 r is a sectional trated in the drawings, the'stationary frame ofthe machineincludescorner posts in, H, l2 and 7 13, lower longitudinal members l4 and I5, upper longitudinal members It and H, lower lateral members it! and I9 and upper lateral members and 2|, secured together in a rigid structure.

A case receiving conveyor is provided consisting of side plates 22 and 23 secured to corner posts It and H and rollers 24 journaled on said side plates. The side plates are braced bymembers 25 and are provided with guide rollers 26 shown in Fig. 4. A latch 28 is pivotally mounted on a rod 28 mounted on the side plates 22 and 23 and'is yieldingly. held in engagement with the case 21 to hold the same in position on the.

rollers 24 we tension spring 30 secured to the frame member 2!.

A discharge conveyor is also provided and con- 33 which are secured to corner posts [2 and l3;v

and to vertical members 34 and 35. The vertical member 34 is secured to frame members Hand [6 and the member 35 is secured toframe memhere If and I1.

For moving the cases from the receiving con- 'sists of rollers 3i journaled on side plates 32 and veyor to thedischarge conveyor and for mixing the contents of the bottlesin transit, there is provided a box-like container 36. Saidcontainer is fitted with trunnions 31 and 38 which are .journaled respectively in arms'39 and 40, both of which are keyed to a shaft 41 mounted in bearings 42 carried by frame members l6. and I1. Said shaft and the arms 39 and constitute a pivotally mounted carrier upon which the concase 44 therein. A container cover 45 is secured to the container proper by means of bolts 46 and is properly spaced therefrom by collars 4'! surrounding said bolts. The spacing is such as to provide a" minimum clearance for the tops of adapted to engage the opposite sides of a case :2

2'1 when the same is resting on rollers 24 as the same between said collars.

spring is secured to one of the collars and the container.

bottles 48 of the particular size in use. For bottles of different heights, spacers 4'! of difierent thicknesses are used.

For locking the cases in the container during transit and mixing, there are provided latch cs 49 at each corner of the container. Each latch 49 is mounted on a stem 50 (Figs. 1 and '7) journaled in a bearing 5I mounted on the side of the Each stem has collars 52 secured thereto and has a torsion spring 53 wound about opposite end 54 extends outwardly and engages the side of the container. Each latch has an outwardly projecting trigger 55. The springs 53 normally retain the latches 49 in the position shown in Fig. 7, in which position they prevent escape of the case from the container. When the container is moved by the rocking of arms 39 and 40 to the receiving position shown in Fig. 2, the triggers 55 at'the left end of the container engage a pair of angle plates 55 and are pressed upwardly against the pressure of their springs 53 to throw the latches 49 downwardly out of the way of an incoming case. es are immediately replaced when the triggers 55 and plates 56 become disengaged as the container is moved from the receiving position.

Similarly the triggers 55 at the opposite end of the container engage the beveled upper ends of the vertical members 34 and 35 when the container is moved to the discharge position shown in Fig. 4. The corresponding latches 49 are withdrawn thereby to permit escape of the case to the discharge container.

For guiding the container 36 to the receiving and discharge positions, there are provided guide bars 51 which are secured at one end to the corner post II and at the other end to a cross bar 58 secured to the upper .faces of); frame members I0 and I1. Said guide members cooperate with a roller 59 mounted on an arm 60 which is keyed to the'trunnion 31 to guide the container 36 to the, receiving position shown in Fig.

2. In the said receiving position, the edge of the container rests upon an angle bar ti extending between the angle plates 56. As shown in Fig.

4, the guide members 5? cooperate with a roller 62 carried on an arm 63 to guide the container 36 to the discharge position. In said position,

the edgeof the container rests upon a cross bar 64 (Fig. 7) which is'secured to a pair of clip angles 65 carried by the plates 32 and 33.

The shaft 4| has secured thereto an arm 66 carrying a counterweight 61. Said shaft also has a downwardly projecting arm 68 keyed thereto and. said arm hassecured near the lower end a tension spring 69, the opposite end of which is secured to a clip I0 carried by a base plate II mounted 'on the frame members I4 and I5. The counterweight 61 and the spring 69 cooperate to bias the container 36 toward the receiving posi tion. However, when a case of bottles has been placed in the container at said position, the weight of 'said case and its contents issufficient to overbalance the efiect of the counterweight and spring and to move the container toward the discharge position. When said case has been discharged, the container is free to return under the influence of the counterweight and spring to the receiving position. I

The lower end of the armIiB carries a roller I2which is adapted to engage a shoulder 13 on a latch M at a point in the travel of the container between the receiving. and discharge po- One end of the Said latch- I sitions (Fig. 3). The latch 14 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 15 which is in turn mounted on a plate I5 carried by the frame members I4 and IS. The latch I4.is upwardly pressed by a spring I? interposed between said latch and the plate I6.

The position assumed by the container '36 .when its movement is stopped by latch 14, as

shown in Fig. 3, may be termed the mixing position. In this position the trunnion 3'! is concentric with arcuate portions 78 of the guide members 5?. portions is such as to cooperate with the rollers The radius of curvature of said 59 and 62 to guide the container while the same is rotated on its trunnions for mixing the contents of the bottles carried therein.

The container 36 is rotated at its mixing position by means of power supplied by a motor I9 which is'mounted on the plate II '(Fig. I). Said motor drives a sprocket 30 through suitable rerespectively to the corner post I0 and to a-.-ver tical frame member 87 which is secured to the frame members I9 andZI.

The sprocket 83 has secured thereto, orformed integrally therewith, a pair of clutch plates .88, one of which is adapted-to'engage a clutch plate keyed to the shaft 84, and theother o2 which engages a clutch plate which is splined to said.

described, the motor 79 may drive the shaft 84 through the frictional engagement of said clutch shaft. When the clutch plate 90 is pressed against the'mating plate 88 by mechanism to. be

plates.

The shaft I34 has keyed thereto a sprocket 9| about which is trained a sprocket ohain 02 which also engages a sprocket 93 freely mounted on the shaft4I. The sprocket 93 has secured thereto a second sprocket 34 also freely mounted on said shaft and having asprocket chain 95 45.

trained thereabout. Said chain is also trained about a sprocket 9B keyed .to the trunnion 38, ;A

sprocket 9'! adjustably mounted on the arm 40 also engages said chain and may be adjusted to maintain a proper tension on the chaini95. By this means, the rotation of shaft 84 rotates the container 36.

The operation of the clutch for initiating and stopping rotation of the container 36 is controlled by a pair; of fingers 93 which are secured to a vertical shaft 99 (Figs. 5 and'fi) Said shaft is journaled in brackets I00 carried by the frame members I9 and 2| and has secured thereto a lever arm IIJI shown :indetail in Fig. 8. Said lever arm has a t i ger I02 pivotally secured A bolt .IIM ex thereto by means of a pin I03.

tends through suitable openings in said lever and trigger and isfitted with a nut I05 and a washerlilfi. A compression spring I0! is inter posed betwen the lever arm IBI and thewasher I06 and serves to retain the parts'in theposition showninFig 3,

In thereceiving position ofthe parts as shown I in Fig. 2, a lever I 08secur'ed to the arm B8 enses the trigger I02. Said lever is maintained 1 in engagement with thetrigger I02 by means of a spring I09 secured "thereto and secured to th'e hub of the arm 68, as bestseen in Fig. 5. When a case has been placed in the container 36 and the same has moved to the mixing position shown in Fig, 3, the lever I08 presses the trig'ger I02 tothe leftin said figure and thus rocks the vertical shaft 99 to pressthe fingers 98 against f the hubI Iof the clutch plate 90. Thedegree-of pressure is controlled by the action of the spring I01 andis sufficient to frictionally engage the clutches without affecting the position to which the arm 68 may move. Thus, the rotation of the container 36 is immediatelystarted when said container reaches the mixing position. In order to stop the rotation of the container 36- and to permit the resumption of movement thereof toward the discharge position, there is provided apparatus now to be described. A lever III is pivotally mounted on the arm 68. A link H2 is pivotally connected both to the lever I08 andthe lever III and extends downwardly in contact with the arm 68. The lower end of said link'is guided by a yoke I I3 secured to said arm.

A gear I I4 is secured to the shaft 84 and meshes Fig. 2 when the container 36 is at the receiving position. In the movement to the mixing position, the'end of the lever III strikes the arm I20 and moves it to the position shown in Fig. 3.

At the same'time, the rotation of the shaft 84 is-started by operation of lever I08 and trigger I02. During the rotation of the container 36, the plate III is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. In the first part of this rotation, the roller I2I trails acrossthe surface of h the lever III and has no effect thereon. However, after the pin H9 passes through its uppermost position, the arm I20 and the roller I2I hang straightdownwardly therefrom. In the continued downward movement of said arm, the roller I2I strikes a shallow depression I22 formed in the upper surface of the lever III and presses said lever downwardly against: the action of spring I09. The downward movement of. said lever presses the link H2 against the latch I4 and moves the same downwardly a sufilcient distance to free the shoulder I3 from the roller I2. Thus the container is again free to travel toward the discharge position. At the same time, the downward movement ofthe link I I2 frees the lever I08 from the trigger I02. The pressure on the clutch plates 88, 89 and 80 is thus withdrawn-and the rotation of the container may be stopped.

The'i'atios of the several sprockets and gears. are so chosen that the container 36 is given a predetermined number of revolutions,preferably four, for each revolution of the plate H1. The

3 gearring H is properlyadjusted with relation to said plate so that the lever III is operatedwhensaid numberof revolutions has been com pleted. Thus, when the clutches are thrown out of e'ngagementthe roller 62 is in position to enter the portion of the guideways 51 which guides the container to the discharge position. The parts may then. move to the position shown inFig., '4 inwhich'the roller I2I and arm I are pivoted to the left by the movement of the lever III. In the return movementto the receiving position of Fig. 2, said roller rides freely upon the uppersurface of said lever.

. number of revolutions.

- parts have returned to the Fig. 6 position.

36 are out of the'way.

push the case 21 with'suilicient force to overcome I It is desirable that rotation of the container be immediately stopped upon the disengagement of the clutches. For that purpose, there is provided on; the trunnion- 38 a brakedruni I23 (Fig. 5). A brake band I24v cooperates with said drum and is anchored at one end to a pin I25 secured tothe arm 40. The opposite end of the brake band has attached thereto a tension spring I25 which is attached to a link I21 (Fig. '7) Said link is pivotally connected toan arm I28 secured to a rod I29 which isjournaled in the arms 39 and 40. Said. rod also. has secured thereto an arm I30, the end of which is pivotally connected to a link'I3I, having its opposite end pivotally mounted on the pivot pin connecting the lever I I I and the link H2; By means of this connection,

the downward movement of thelink H2 rocks the rod I29 and exerts a yielding force through spring I26 on the brake band I24. Said force immediately operates to stop rotation of the container 36 with the roller 62 in position. to enter the appropriate guideway.

In the return movement of the the receiving position, it is desirable that the containermaintain a substantially constant angular container 36 to position with relation to the ground in order that it may reach the receiving position with the roller 59 in position toenter its appropriate guideway; Since during this movement the shaft 8411s not restrained by the clutches, there is tendency for the container to retain its angular position with relation to the arms 39 and rather than with relation to the ground and thus to rotate the shaft 84 in the reverse direction. Toovercome this-tendency, there is provided a ring I32 (Fig.

6) which is secured to the'hub H0 of the clutch disc 90. Said ring is provided with a nose I33 engageable with a latch bar I34. Said latch bar is pivotally mounted on the frame member I9 and has secured thereto a tension spring I 35, the opposite end of which is secured to a pin I36 carried by the plate 16.x In the idle position of the shaft 84 the parts are as shown in Fig.6. During the rotation of the container 30, the shaft 84 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6 and;

the nose I33 may then strike the latch bar I34 at each rotationand move the same out of the way. The ratio of the sprockets SI and 93 is: so chosen that the shaft 84 makes an even'number of revolutions, preferably two, while the container 36 is rotated through its predetermined Thus, at the end of the predeterminedrotation of the container 36, the In this position, the latch bar 31' engaging the nose I33 holds the shaft 84 against reverse rotation and the container 36 in its movement from the discharge to the receiving position, is held in a substantially constant angular position with relation to the ground. I v v In the operation of the apparatus, a case 21 is placed on the rollers 24 of the receiving conveyor. Withthe parts in the Fig. 2 position the latches 49 at the receiving end of the container The operator may then the spring 30 andthe case-may then moveby gravity into the container. The weight of the case and contents overbalances the ,countei weight 01 and spring 69 and thus moves the con.- tamer to the mixing position of Fig. 3, in which position itis stopped by the engagementof roller I2 with shoulder I3. At the same time, the clutches are engaged by the action of the lever I08 on the trigger I02 and: the rotation of the containerand-its contents-isstarted. At the end of the predetermined rotational period,'r oller I 21 strikes the lever I H and the resulting opera.- tion disengages the clutches, applies the brake band I24 to the brake :drum i23 to stop :the rotation, and releases the latch M from roller '32. The container 36 then moves: to the discharge position at which the proper latches. 49 are released to permit the case toroll by gravity from thecontainer to the discharge conveyor. When thecase has been discharged, the action of the counterweight t7 and spring 69 returns the container to the receiving position. In the meantime, .the operator has placed a second case on the receiving conveyor and may push said case into the container immediately upon its return.

While the operation has been described as being initiated by the operator in pushing the case past the latch 28, it is-apparent that it may be initiated automatically if, desired. By an obvious change in construction, the container itself may be made to operatethe latch 28 to release the case.

It will be apparent from the foregoing specification that the operation of the machine in mixing an entire case of bottled goods is extremely simple and rapid. The goods may be given-as thorough a mixing as desired by suitable adjustment of thespeed of the motor 19 and the ratios of the several sprockets and gears by which the number of revolutions of the container is predetermined. It has been found in' practice that four complete revolutions of the container give an extremely thorough mixing of the product and that the time required for four revolutions is sufiiciently short so that the machine can more than take care of the output of a modern bottling machine. The cost of construction is: much less than that of present commercial machinesof comparable capacity in which the bottles are handled individually.

The foregoing specification describes the invention in one of its preferred forms. The details thereof may be varied within wide limits without departing from the scope of the inventionv as defined by the following claims.

The invention claimed is: v

1. In a mixing machine for bottled goods, a container adapted to receive a case of said goods. said container having opposite ends open forreception and discharge of a case, latch means at each of said open ends for retaining said case therein means for-moving said container to a case receiving position, latch engaging members operating the latch means at one end of said container when the same has reached said receiving position to permit entrance of a case thereto, means for thereafter moving the container to a case discharge position and for rotating the same in transit, and latch engaging members operating the latch means at the other end of said container when the same has reached said discharge position to permit discharge of said case.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the container is placed'in an inclined position at said receiving position to receive said case by gravity.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the container is placed in an inclined position at said discharge position to discharge said case by gravity.

4. In a mixing machine for bottled goods, a

members acted upon by gravity to move said con tainer from said discharge position to said 're ceiving position, the weight of said members being overbalanced by. the weight of a case and its con tents when placed in said container, whereby- .said container when filled moves by gravity fromsaid receiving position to saiddischarge position,

and means for rotating said container when I 5. In a-mixing machine for bottled goods, a

container adapted to receive a case of said goods, said container being movable between a case re ceiving position and a case discharge position, means biasing said container toward said receiving position, said means being overbalanced by the weight of a case and its contents when placed in said container to move the same toward said discharge position, and means for rotating said container when filled.

I 6. In a mixing machine for bottled'goods-a container adapted to receive a case of said goods, said container being movable between a case receiving position and a case discharge position, means biasing said container toward said receiving position, said means being overbalanced by the weight of a case and its contents when placed.

in said container to move the same toward said discharge position, interrupting means adapted to interrupt the latter movement short of-said discharge position, power means adapted to ro-,

tate said container while said movement is interrupted, and releasing means operable upon completion of a predetermined numberof revolutions to release said interrupting means to permit completion of the movement of said container to said discharge position. i

7. In a mixing machine for'bottled goods, a container adapted to receive a case of said goods, said container being movable between a-case receiving position and a case discharge position,

means biasing said container toward said receiv ing position, said means being overbalanced by,

the weight of a case and its contents when placed in said container to move the same .tward said discharge position, a latch adapted to interrupt said latter movement short of said discharge position, power means for rotating said container,

7 means actuated upon said interruption of move-' ment to render said power means active to rotate said container, and means controlled in timed relation with the rotation of said container to stop said rotation and to trip said latch to permit completion of the movement to the discharge position.

8. In a mixing machine 'for bottled goods, a

container adapted to receive a case of said goods,

'a carrier for said container, said carrier being pivotally mounted and said container being bring said container successively to a case receiving position and a case discharge position, mom,-

pivotally mounted on said carrier, means for" rocking said carrier on its pivotal mounting to I f bers adapted to interrupt movement thereof from the former to the latter position, and power means for moving said container on its pivotal.

mounting while'said first mentioned movement is interrupted.

CURTIS W. GIBBS]. 

